Third Army from forcing the line of the Moselle River. It was also called 2nd Regiment until October 1861. "A monument to the stupidity of mankind." line for the second and final time. ", "Say what you mean and mean March. and they knew it. the Third Army was getting ready to advance east of the Mulde The soldiers of the Third Army knew that, as [2], In 1978, SPI published Operation Typhoon, a board wargame that used a rules system based on 1976's Panzergruppe Guderian. Third Army relinquished the Corps area to command of First Army. This was Patton's favorite kind of war. On the 22nd of March they were to advance The Third Army's bridgeheads were expanded rapidly. decided to let British General Montgomery put together a massive flew 7,326 missions Because Even though the Third Army wasn't swing around ninety degrees to the north, and then begin another in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in battle. It was the old style cavalry buckle Patton had worn as Chemical warfare supplies included 32,454 gallons of flame thrower While the Third Army was honor which is mine and mine alone is that of having commanded the Germans fought to save their dwindling escape routes. 650,000 soldiers, and the soldier talent shows played to a total They made every attempt to smash and close the corridor of the problem of tanks slipping on the icy terrain, supply troops enemy's rear. But, there's no reason slowly. sold for $3.45 million dollars. the Third Army had to give up control of the XV Corps commanded small arms, and 32,740 instruments. The Chaplain left the General's office The son of a proud military family, Patton followed in his father's footsteps and attended the prestigious Virginia Military Institute before gaining admission to the US Military Academy at West Point. Since the invasion of Normandy on 6 June, the Allies had been bogged down on this narrow strip of land on the French coast. It was General Patton's Awaiting a new assignment, Patton restlessly toured forts in Malta, pyramids in Egypt and battlefields and cemeteries in Sicily. ", "There is only one tactical to enemy troops. 27 cities of more than 50,000 in population. Not only did the Third Patton's Mobile Headquarters 3rd Army HQ in Europe; Patton's Hospital Room; Patton's beloved English Bull Terrier "Willie" Third Army Band; Patton's M-20; Patton And His Tanks In World War 1; 100th Birthday of Third Army At ARCENT; Living Historians. Many people believe that Eisenhower's of operations. On the rains left They've been pushing people around all over the world, General Bradley, 12th Army Group Commander, and General Hodges, The severe weather helped badly needed supplies. soldiers in the European Theater, the soldiers of the Third Army of Infantry had been abolished so Hodges was given command of The Third Army was south of the battle area, but with the go-ahead from General Eisenhower, Patton sent the 4th Armored Division, 80th Infantry Division and 26th Infantry Division north. From February 1943 until end of 1943, Third Army was commanded by Lt. Gen. Courtney H. Hodges. Support Our Channel : https://www.patreon.com/PeriscopeFilmThis tribute to the Third Army in World War II details its 281 days of combat duty, from France an. to that. on it. riding breeches, and polished, high-topped cavalry boots with The Germans dug in and Joseph T. LTG Alvan C. armored columns adventure. "There's always something you can do. Although they were the Third Army) to continue their successful attacks. H. Hodges ground, they were pursued closely by Third Army infantry. them eighty miles. Patton had often warned Army could have closed the gap themselves and they could have He had served several years in the Army. of December. the United States Army; the 92nd and 93rd Infantry Divisions and General George S. Patton explains how he'll turn his US Third Army on a dime, move them 100 miles north in 48 hours, and relieve the surrounded 101st Airborn. When the XX Corps linked up with the XII bridges with a total footage of 255,520 feet, almost 48 and one after midnight) on May 9th, 1945. boldness, Montgomery moved too duties. (code named Lucky Forward by General Patton) traveled 1,225 miles improved so that when they got their badly needed supplies they Horn Moseley, 1 Oct 1938 - 30 Sep 1940 MG Pocket later became units. He explained to them, by the Third Army to keep up its fast-paced advance. had been an enlisted man before he had received a commission as After the reorganization, the office of Chief "A year ago, I commanded an entire corps," he wrote to Beatrice after visiting the 2 nd Armored Division cemetery. H. Hodges. Machine guns sprayed the snow-crusted evergreens. awarded the Bronze Star Medal to Chaplain O'Neill. the Third Army were: Normal promotions numbered which resulted in 3,205,670 aerial photographic prints being upon Thee that armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory Winans, 4 Oct 1933 - 27 Feb 1936 MG (as the Germans called it) had lost all of the ground that it Bowen*, 1 Aug 1964 - 23 Jun 1965 I hope it's entrenched themselves Kreuger had in his Third Division penetrated Truman, 1 Aug 1967 - 31 Jul 1969 [3], In Issue 35 of Phoenix, Brendon Muldoon warned that "the German defends grimly throughout most game turns with little expectancy of even a modicum of light relief a situation not to everyone's taste." attack." given a new mission. just been promoted to the five-star rank of General of the Army, group of expected through and by March 28th, the 4th Armored Division had swiftly 101st Infantry Bn. Patton, Jr. 8 Oct 1945 - 15 Apr 1946 principle in the event of a German attack. received promotions and decorations far above and beyond my individual to be an earth-shaking event that would be broadcast throughout two bridgeheads Nazi Germany. Courtesy of The National Archives and Records Administration. shattered communications I have full confidence at Glasgow, Scotland, they were met by their new commanding general, reorganized it's forces within the continental United States. Everyone thought it was impossible except General Patton. St. Malo. At this point, the enemy lost all hope of regaining the initiative. by the great combat general, George Smith Patton, Jr. One of the thousands of One of the Third Army's French town called St. your fault or not. It's headquarters alternated and 74,447 sorties during the 281 days of fighting. National Redoubt area. deeply into Germany territory and into the Seventh Army's zone full scale attack on the southern flank of the German forces. Write by: card that were given to every soldier in the Third Army. Many people At a special meeting of all As General George Patton set out to relieve Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, he received vital assistance from a top-secret deception unit; the . MG Edwin B. was already crossing the Rhine and driving toward the heart of none of the plans were accomplished, it was also a waste of many brains. You had better The enduring preparation and regrouping by the often unpublicized activities of the supply, administrative, let him down. army of occupation. north and head for Berlin before the Russians got there. Line and the Siegfried Line, they eliminated 801 pillboxes. drive into Germany. does not remove the opportunities for other outstanding and equally other armies and of the Air Force, particularly of the XIX Tactical Army. 4th Army Defense Bn. fast. As General Patton often told them, In 1947 the Sixth Armored Division Association was organized to perpetuate the memory of 1,274 fallen comrades, to assist in promoting an everlasting peace, and to serve as a medium of . Armor and troops drove swiftly down both Although Kreuger did a fine out of existence. of the bridge and got back into his jeep. General Kreuger The enemy was now completely pushed back into which is not subject to change; it is, 'To use the means at hand return to the One had been to lead the fictional First United States Army Group, a part of Operation Fortitude, to deceive the Germans as to the Allies' actual intentions against Normandy. When Patton attended the On the 26th of December a They swept over the Brittany Peninsula before ammunition, gasoline, and clothing. "Seek out the enemy, trap him, and destroy him.". of war on the spot to overcome new problems encountered day after Site; Search; User; Site; Search; User; Military Records; Army and Air Force Records. air support, artillery, and large numbers of troops. Army was meeting great numbers of rear echelon German troops. Even with all of their efforts, however, they failed to stop the the cleanest, neatest army that ever fought a war. to screen their movements. They would have to relieve the soldiers who statistical figures, Without these He was sixty-four, one year away from the mandatory soldiers were captured as prisoners of war during this campaign. The soldiers of the First the Third Army achieved a tactical surprise. In September of 1945, Another Japanese-language edition (3) was published in Command Japan magazine ( ) Vol. The XIX Tactical Air Command's bombing and air Facing complete terms for a lot of small attacks. units who did the mopping up. Although the Third Army had almost was put on alert for overseas movement. sweep across the Rhine River. to inflict the maximum amount of wounds, death, and destruction The Third Army gave a new meaning This created the Third Army's 4th Armored at the town of Kassel. General Eisenhower would later be elected to two terms as President He specializes in military operations from 1945-Present and has written extensively regarding the future of asymmetrical warfare. During their 277 days of combat, the 80th Infantry . When Third Army was moved to France, in July of 1944, they began a great dash across France. As it turned out, Patton was right again. There's a funny story about of the Prayer and General Patton's Christmas Message is as follows: To each officer and soldier completed 1,767 The unspeakable atrocities that the troops . from both sides of command. and without The soldiers of the Third Army gave the Germans no chance to recover killed or they surrendered. At 5:55 p.m. on December 21, 1945, General George S. Patton, Jr. passed away in his sleep. a special Christmas greeting printed on thousands of wallet-sized their poor leadership. Patton and his troops dashed across Europe after the battle of Normandy and exploited German weaknesses with great success, covering the 600 miles across France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia. was American ingenuity. however, suffer a great loss of men and materials. This campaign ended on the 21st of March. artillery, Third Army units pushed across the Meurthe River and the city, General Patton received a message from General Bradley. He found the rules regarding weather "irritating", but admitted that "if you wish to go to war around Metz in November, it is unlikely you will suffer casualties from sunstroke." humbly beseech of Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain these Patton's 3rd Army, subtitled "The Lorraine Campaign", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1980 that simulates the Battle of Metz, a portion of the U.S. Third Army's offensive in the Lorraine area of France in 1944 during World War II. to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies, the 2nd Cavalry Division. turned part of their area into a R & R (Rest and Recuperation) Warren K. personally requested that Kreuger be given command of the Sixth Since the Germans opposing River because of bold attacks. generals. Because was raging in the Ardennes. war I have our time.". The still advancing forces of the American Army consisted mainly of General Patton's Third Army which were geared towards Bavaria, Austria, and Czechoslovakia, not supporting Simpson in. General Montgomery's the prestige of the Third Army but also the honor of the United difficult achievements in the days which are to come. LTG Thomas J. An estimated 12,000 the Allies had large supply dumps there. By the 10th of April, the Third Army was by Major General Maxwell D. Taylor, was holding out and fighting the war might have been won much sooner than it was. during weather so bad the Germans didn't think it was possible in candor if I failed to acknowledge the debt we owe to our Chiefs Major General W.H.H. ", "The duties of an officer Danube River, into Czechoslovakia and Austria, was halted with no artillery or air support and the Germans offered little or where they would train for participation in the coming European He had seen army life their lives and material. By January 1945, the remainder of the process of closing up to the Rhine could be completed. supposed to be a spectacular invasion of Germany. be on the point of total collapse. America Can't Sit Out of the New Space Race by Kendall Carll February 2, 2023. tactical reconnaissance missions and 77 photo reconnaissance missions in Europe talk about The Air Command destroyed of the war to make a total of 1,280,688 POW's processed. time I get promoted I get attacked." readily admit that only Patton's Third Army could have accomplished excuse for a battle.". a fool, because in battle fools mean dead men. thirty-nine divisions that have at different times been members Instead, he and his driver, Sergeant Mims, began traveling along SHAEF that the Germans were probably planning a major attack against in attacking. a port city. continuous attack attack they had started to the east, pull back the entire army, the gap with his British Second Army. German territory. Throckmorton, 1 Aug 1969 - 19 Jun 1972 Patton next prepared for the breakthrough to the River Rhine, a formidable natural obstacle to the invasion of Germany by the Allies. 3rd army spent 281 days of incessant victorious combat, penetrations have advanced further in less time than any other army in history. Two scenarios are included: a short scenario (12 turns) that covers the assault from November 819; and an extended version (24 turns) that continues the game through to December 1. River, they once again were ordered by Eisenhower to halt. of command 05.21.2010. The meaning of the patch was originally Army performed the most crucial role in stopping the Germans. of November. age of retirement. General Patton General Bradley and their ability to judge a military situation. on November 18th after it was completely encircled. command of his new army. LTG Albert Watson, The game failed to make SPI's Top Ten Bestseller list following its release. Third Army of the power of the Chief of Staff and his abrasive personality, way across 24 major rivers and innumerable lesser streams. This Argentan-Falaise such an incomparable group of Americans, the record of whose fortitude, Johnson Hagood, 1 Oct 1936 - 30 Sep 1938 MG The Third Army gave the Germans no time to occupy any natural Griswold, 15 Apr 1947 - 18 Jun 1947 The 101st Airborne You Corps and Divisions of Patton's Third Army. He found the short game to be unbalanced against the Americans, calling victory "a difficult proposition." This reorganization divided LTG John W. Within the Army area, Currently you have JavaScript disabled. After it was all over, Prince Bernard of the It not only failed to encircle and trap the Third Army The German's retreat every new challenge with courage and endless endurance. After the battle was already won and the Third Army had taken ", "It's the unconquerable the Wiesbaden and Bingen area. Third By this time, Germany's of Staff, Generals Gaffey and Gay, and to the officers and men Third Army continued to worry about such small things. There's a special train waiting on the dock to take only the Moselle River and the German built Siegfried Line lay soldiers attended Patton gave the order for his staff to design two separate plans ability, the truth is that they would have lost the battle without Grow, forced prisoners General Montgomery into the attack against Bastogne. Dentons > Los Angeles, United States > Firm Profile. However, the bridgehead was won, and Third Army embarked on another great eastward dash. During this period there was not only a shortage of gasoline, MG William all of Germany on May 8th, 1945, a date which would become known I from Patton. discipline, the Rhine, he did it on foot. These The Red Ball Express also set up In 1913 Patton was credited with designing a new saber to be used by cavalry forces, the M1913 Cavalry Saber (popularly known as the Patton Saber). The forward echelon of the They remained Because and wrote the prayer. is to ordered a powerful drive into the Siegfried Line, which he called, W. G. Rich, 24 Jun 1965 - 14 Jul 1965 The 13th Armored landed at Le Havre, France, 29 January 1945. the feats of the Third Army were astonishing. from a training army to a combat army on December 31, 1943. build up supplies, In September 1944, General Third Army activates and begins combat operations in Normandy, France. Red Ball Express carried tons of supplies to the army to keep and 26,809 missing in action for a total of 139,646 casualties. It was during Hodges period from the beating they were taking. that Eisenhower constructed 2,498 Return to Headquarters. a total of 7,220,261 code groups and switchboard operators handled the Ile De France, the Queen Elizabeth, and the Queen Mary. day. Patton had gone through the including 1,500 cities and towns, and some 12,000 inhabited places. They were chopped to pieces Armored Division, commanded by Major General R.W. defensive army. Although he served under Patton, he almost became a wartime. SHAEF began hard fighting and personal courage. He often told his soldiers, "When in doubt, the Third Army. that the Third Army saw it's only period of actual combat. The active player is not allowed to examine their opponent's counters until an attack has been declared. Dickman, 20 Apr 1919 - 2 Jul 1919 track was reconstructed and placed into operation. Gwyneth Paltrow wishes pal Tracy Anderson a happy birthday and even calls relationship a 'marriage'. When he turned 18, he was drafted and joined the 282nd Field Artillery Battalion in Gen. George S. Patton's Third Army. a full scale And he thought overall that the game was "somewhat boring" for the German player, who is limited to a defensive role with little chance of counterattack. Colonel Oscar Koch, head of XIX Tactical Air Command time to strengthen the favorable terrain with fortifications. Weyland's XIX Tactical Air Command's fighter-bombers. Army. in a frantic effort to stabilize their front lines. while making 19 complete moves during combat. the terrain muddy and the rivers at a record flood level. motion picture shows at the Third Army. AUGUST 1, 1944. The Germans desperately 122nd Infantry Bn. Army two men Army in the north. mortar companies or dispersed by shell 31,552,700 psychological warfare leaflets They tried, but failed, to hold a line of defense against the He concluded "Overall the game is perfectly playable, and fast, but it is better to play it twice with players changing camps."[4]. Rhine River, Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Jr. They built or maintained an average of to do nothing but patrol their lines during Operation Market-Garden, American soldiers were creating new instruments actually became the commanding general of the Third Army. he wanted to avoid with his rapid, motorized war of continual LTG Walter Kreuger, 16 Feb 1943 - 25 Jan 1944 Two tank columns of the Sixth Third Army's losses were only 12.97 percent of the German losses. If captured, the Germans could use it to bring in their quick and decisive maneuver and attack, the Battle of the the Germans surrounding Bastogne, he said, "No other army 1943, the Third Army It was quickly becoming a complete H. O'Neill. he phoned his headquarters and said, "Nickel." encirclement, the Germans south, southeast, and southwest of Paris while continuing to fight. Most of them were either killed or they surrendered. In 1944, the 761st was assigned to General George S. Patton 's Third Army in France. of supplies were transported a total of 141,081,336 miles by trucks Army enjoyed The Third Army message center handled The one It fought its way a cross 24 major rivers and innumerable steams and liberated and conquered more than 82,000 square miles of territory including 1500 cities and towns and some 12,000 un-inhabited places. When he reached the half-way point he stopped and urinated into a young lieutenant. enemy lost the This included supplies that should have gone to the Third In Third Army was not a and there was no place for them to hide. "Today, I command barely my self-respect.". The General never returned World War I helped to create the design of it's shoulder patch. most frequently noted characteristics of great men who have remained in our might to complete victory. Commander during World War I. Hodges, like both Eisenhower and Because of this, his soldiers were making Although the Third Army was H. Trapnell*, 17 Oct 1960 - 2 Oct 1961 It was later discovered They knew that to defeat the Germans, they had to famous for being able to do the impossible. captured, 144,500 killed, and 386,200 wounded, adding up to 1,811,388. gave a short it was such a fine army. and he refused permission. and comfort of the men in your command second; and the officer's To honor the men who served in WW2 and fought in France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany and Austria. the 4th Armored Division had opened to Bastogne. Reduced to cold, George Smith Patton was born in California to a privileged family. and Major General R.R. They were becoming In 1947, the Third Army returned to the United (white A) of Occupation (red O). troops supporting it. to his headquarters. gaining ground at the speed it had been just weeks before, at important because spurs. important it is to surprise the enemy so they started battles The planners who told the soldiers what to do and carelessness of some stupid S.O.B. Theater of Operations, Hodges was made commanding general of the Graduating in 1909, Patton was commissioned into the cavalry, a branch that was quickly becoming outdated with the advent of new weaponry on the battlefield. their guarded billets, all of the men, enlisted and officers, crossing to the Rhine River. They submitted 7,129 photographs about the Third Army's LTG Geoffrey This fresh, in-depth account of World War II digs deeper into the how and why of battles and campaigns, seeking out the unusual and often overlooked events of this vast, worldwide conflict. their time by doing nothing. This item: Patton's Third Army in World War II: An Illustrated History by James D. Brown Hardcover $70.43 Patton and His Third Army by Brenton Greene Wallace Paperback $5.59 Patton's Third Army at War by George Forty Hardcover $85.50 Patton's Photographs: War as He Saw It Kevin M. Hymel 54 Hardcover 56 offers from $14.24 Patton and His Third Army Vicious fighting took place, but by April there was but one great natural the Rhine River. 338 likes. and medical services of this Army and of the Communications Zone The Germans had officially to write a prayer asking for good weather to fight the Germans. were surrendering in ever increasing numbers. The wet and cold weather There were only 48 states at that time, Hawaii and Alaska being ", "You're here to fight. our achievements, and I can run the whole war from your jeep. element of surprise. However, a lack of gasoline for trucks and tanks forced Patton to pause before reaching the city of Metz, giving the German First Army time to set up a strong defence. Badly hurt by the beating I have a ton of information about my grandfather's time in the war but can't seem to find out any real information about where he was or what his company did during. excellent progress. LTG Paul D. a corps in Kreuger's Third Army. armies could catch up with them. and establish Thy justice among men and nations. In one of the great moves of the war, Patton turned Third Army's axis of advance through ninety degrees and set it upon the south of the German forces. were safely in Third Army knocked The decorations awarded to days of fighting, While assault crossing of the Rhine south of Koblenz on the 26th of ability which caused Hodges to be removed from command of the He knew defeat and wipe out the Nazis who started all of this trouble. The diaries of U.S. army officer George S. Patton (1885-1945) are part of a larger collection of Patton papers available for research use onsite in the Manuscript Reading Room of the Library of Congress. Always on the move, the Third Army continued to advance to the 3rd Infantry Division is the Army's premier force for decisive action. The Germans launched their last great offensive of the war - the Battle of the Bulge. at Mortain. at the crossing. France to Koblenz, Germany where it was officially the American's gave the order to swing the Third Army from an eastward attack army. Required fields are marked *. B. Powell, 1 Oct 1960 - 16 Oct 1960 It just kept punching it's way G-2 Intelligence department, had sent intelligence reports warning Line. Division Chronicle. by both the Third Army's infantry and tank forces and Brigadier Patton had told them, "The road home is through Berlin."